Overview

Los Cancajos is the main tourist resort of La Palma, the island known throughout the Canary Islands as "La Isla Bonita" (the beautiful island) for its exceptional volcanic landscapes and lush subtropical vegetation. The resort occupies a gently sloping stretch of coastline on the east side of the island, just five kilometres south of the island capital Santa Cruz de La Palma, making it both a convenient beach base and an easy gateway to the island's cultural and natural highlights. Los Cancajos is relatively small and laid-back compared to the resort towns of Tenerife or Gran Canaria — it has no nightclub strip, no all-inclusive mega-complexes, and no package-tourism intensity. Instead it offers a pleasant apartment and hotel infrastructure, a natural rock-pool beach, excellent diving, and immediate access to one of the most dramatic island landscapes in the entire Atlantic.

Beaches & nature

The beach at Los Cancajos is a series of natural volcanic rock pools and small dark-sand coves, formed where lava flows reached the sea and were gradually shaped by Atlantic waves. The natural pools provide excellent sheltered swimming, with exceptionally clear water and a gentle current that makes them ideal for snorkelling and swimming with children. The larger open-water beach has stronger conditions and is better suited to confident swimmers. A short coastal walk north leads to further hidden coves with even calmer water. The landscape surrounding the resort is spectacular: the volcanic mountains of La Palma rise steeply from the shoreline, and the forest begins almost immediately inland. The Caldera de Taburiente National Park — a vast volcanic caldera described by Alexander von Humboldt as the most beautiful on earth — is accessible in under an hour's drive from the resort.

Things to do

Diving is Los Cancajos' standout activity; the resort has established a strong reputation in the international diving community for the quality and accessibility of its underwater sites. The volcanic seabed offshore features dramatic lava tunnels, arches, and walls covered in colourful marine life, and visibility in the clear Atlantic water regularly reaches 30 metres. Several dive centres operating from the resort offer PADI courses and guided dives for all levels. Whale and dolphin watching excursions run regularly from the small harbour — La Palma's deep offshore waters are home to resident populations of bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, and sperm whales. Hiking is superb: the island's network of trails includes the famous Ruta de los Volcanes (Volcano Route) along the island's spine, and the forest paths of the Caldera de Taburiente. The capital, Santa Cruz de La Palma, is 15 minutes away by bus.

Eating & nightlife

Los Cancajos has a modest but serviceable selection of restaurants and bars, concentrated primarily in the resort's commercial centre and along the seafront. The quality of the food is generally reasonable, with an emphasis on fresh fish and Canarian cooking alongside international options. Local specialities worth seeking out include pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus), fresh cherne (grouper), and the island's excellent artisan cheeses and wines from the volcanic slopes. The resort is quiet in the evenings — a gentle promenade and a drink on a terrace rather than a night out. For more variety, Santa Cruz de La Palma is close enough for a short taxi ride.

Getting around

La Palma Airport (SPC) is just 3 kilometres north of Los Cancajos — one of the shortest airport-to-resort distances in the Canary Islands. Regular bus services connect the resort to Santa Cruz de La Palma and to other parts of the island. Car hire is strongly recommended for exploring La Palma's extraordinary landscapes; the island's roads are well-maintained and the scenery on every route is exceptional. The resort itself is compact and walkable. The ferry port at Santa Cruz provides connections to Tenerife and other islands.

When to go

La Palma has a different character from the sun-baked eastern Canary Islands: its high mountains trap moisture and create lush, green landscapes that are the result of significantly more rainfall than Lanzarote or Fuerteventura. The east coast, where Los Cancajos sits, is drier and sunnier than the west, but spring and autumn can bring brief showers. Summer (June to September) offers the warmest and driest conditions, with reliable sunshine and sea temperatures reaching 23–24°C. Winter is mild and mostly dry, though occasional Atlantic fronts bring rain. For hikers and nature lovers, spring (March to May) is the finest season, when the forests are at their most lush and the trade winds are gentle.